Henri Matisse, Nu bleu IV, Nice, 1952
Papiers gouachés découpés, collés sur papier, marouflés sur toile, 103 × 74 cm
Donation de Madame Jean Matisse à l’État français pour dépôt au Musée Matisse, Nice, 1978, Musée d’Orsay, Paris. Succession H. Matisse
Photo © François Fernandez
Curated by:
Hélène Guenin, director of Nice Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC), and Aymeric Jeudy, director of Nice Matisse Museum
A dialogue with Yves Klein in the collection of the Nice Matisse Museum
Until the end of his life, Matisse has been searching for “something beyond real space” and challenging the conventions of traditional painting. With his paper cut-outs, he embraces an artistic radicalism that transcends all pre-existing frameworks during a time when technical progress in aviation “led to a new understanding of the sky, perspectives, and space.” This appropriation of space and this quest for “something beyond real space” resonate with Yves Klein (1928-1962). As early as 1946, Klein “signed the back of the sky with his name, claiming this infinite space as one of his canvases”.
Known for his monochrome propositions and “zones of pictorial sensitivity”, Yves Klein shares affinities with Matisse, whose work extends far beyond the traditional concept of easel painting. For Matisse, colour invades space in works without limits, blurring the edges as pure pigment overtakes the surface.
The Nice Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMAC) being currently closed for redevelopment, the Nice Matisse Museum shows eight works by Yves Klein. This loan, part of the MAMAC’s off-site exhibition programme, highlights the dynamic collaborative research between the two museums.
